Piano-action



UNITED STATES PATENT ()EETcE.

ISAAC BULLARD, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-ACTION.

fSI-ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,511, dated January 19, 1886.

Application filed September 18, 1884. Serial No. 143,346. (X0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, IsAAo BULLARD, of Hyde Park, in thecounty of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Actions for Upright Pianos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in explaining its nature, in which Figure 1 represents an upright-piano action containing my invention in its normal position. Fig. 2 represents the position of the action immediately after the hammer has struck the wire to make the note. Fig. 3 represents the position of the action the instant the parts of the action are in position to render a repetition of the hammer-blow upon the wire possible.

The action belongs to that class known as repeating actions; and the invention relates, primarily, to a device whereby the necessary movements of the parts for obtaining a sure and quick repeating action is obtained. It further relates to a detail of construction which will hereinafter be fully described.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a key. It is pivoted at a, and is weighted by means of the lead plugs a or in any other suitable manner. B is the rocker. It is pivoted to the rail 1) or hangers extending therefrom at b, and is connected with the inner end of the key-lever by means of the extension or rod O, which is pivoted at c to the rocker. Thelower end of the extension or arm 0 is held to a rail, 0, by means of the arm 0, which is pivoted at 0* and c. The rocker B at one end sup ports the spoon or tongue I)", which operates the damper D through the damper-lever d, the jack E, which is pivoted at c, and the back check F.

G is the knuckle of the hammer, and H the hammer, and I the hammer-rest, and the end of the jack bears against the knuckle.

So much of the action as I have described is common, and is known as the French action. To obtain a repeating action, it is necessary to throw the jack into a position to operate the hammer and at the earliest possible instant after the first impulse of the hammer. The relation which the hammer or hammerknucklc bears to the jack before the first impulse, is well represented in Fig. 1; but for proper repeating the parts cannot be returned to the position therein indicated, because it would take too much time. It is therefore necessary that the jack be returned to a position under the knuckle before the hammer arm falls back to the rest I, as represented in Fig. 1; or, in other words, when the hammer is substantially in position as shown in Fig. 3. This can only be done by holding the hammer for an instant so that the jack can be thrown back into position, and unless this slight checking of the backward movement of the hammer can be effected a proper repeating action is not possible. To accomplish this result, I have attached to the front side of the jack E the spring-arm c, the lower end of which is fastened to the jack and the upper end of which projects outward therefrom, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. The end of this spring projects outward, and is in line with the felt or cloth covering m of the bumper M, and when the parts of the action. are in their normal position, as in Fig. 1, the end of the spring does not touch or come in contact with any stress. This surface of the bumper0r, i 11 other words, the spring-is substantially free; but upon the downward movement of the key the jack is moved to the position shown in Fi 2, and that causes the end of the spring to be brought in contact with the surface m and placing some tension upon it, so that it shall act in one, and, if desired, two, ways: first, to hold the ham nier for the instant by its pressure against the surface 122, so that the jack E may he returned under the knuckle; and, second, to return or to assist in returning the jack to such position.

It will be seen that the bumper M is fastened to the end of a stem projecting from the knuckle, so that the pressure of the spring upon the surface at is transmitted to the knuckle through the medium of a lever, and that as the hammer stem and hammer are in a very-nearly vertical position when the spring is brought into operation, it requires but little force or pressure upon the bumper-surface m to resist the backward movement of the hammer and hold it temporarily while the jack is being thrown back into operative position, or that shown in Fig. 3, while at the same time it permits the knuckle to immediately follow the jack and rest thereon. The jack may be returned under the knuckle by the spring a in the ordinary manner, and a spring, 11/, attached to the rail a and bearing'ag'ainst the inner surface of the knuckle, may be used to increase the rapidity of its movement or make its action somewhat livelier.

In ordinary actions the knuckle is connected with the rocker or a rod extending therefrom by a strap, which passes through a. hole in the bumper M; but as this would interfere with the action of the spring 6, I connect the rocker withthe bumper, and not with the k nuckle, by means ofthe strap or cord 0. Th is strap or cord passes through a hole in the lower end of the bumper, and is cemented or fastened in any desirable way to its inner surert a thrust upon the surface of the bumper,

whereby the hammer is sustained during the return of the jack under the knuckle, and as they do not show or describe the especial form of bumper which is necessary for properly car rying my invention into effect, I consider that they do not contain the essential elements thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In an action for upright pianos, the repeating-spring e, secured to the jack E, as described, and having its upper end curved out- Wardly therefrom to bring it in contact with the inner surface of the bumper M, as specified, whereby the spring acts to check the backward movement of the hammer and to assist in returning the jack to a position under the knuckle, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an action for upright pianos. of the knuckle G, carrying or supporting the hammer H, the bumper M,having the face m, inclined or shaped as described,

the jack E, having the spring 6, attached to its outer face and bent or curved outwardly therefrom to come in contact with the inclined surface m of the bumper when the hammer is on its backward movement, all substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

ISAAC BULLARD.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, FRED. B. DOLAN. 

